Backpackers Paradise
Trip Start
Jul 15, 2006
1
6
11
Trip End
Jul 31, 2006
Montanita,
Ecuador
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
The place is tiny. It's composed of a couple of dirt roads and is located right on the Pacific coast. The little ghetto hotel we ended up staying at for four bucks a night backed right onto the beach. Sleeping in a room where the waves are smashing into the rocks about twenty feet from you is absolutely incredible.
Basically every building in Montanita has a patio where you can grab a few drinks, and exchange travel stories with numerous backpackers. In the mornings farmers from local villages ride their bikes into town, pulling carts full of fresh goods for sale. My favorite vendor was a guy who would show up every morning with a large number of exotic fruits and a blender. You would then pick out your ingredients and he would proceed to make you the most amazing shake in the world.
I think surfing is a mandatory activity, and everyone at least takes a stab at it. So, of course, we gave it a try. I actually did alright almost right off the bat. I think it was a combination of snowboarding experience and watching Point Break numerous times, especially the scene where the girl is yelling at Keanu Reeves while trying to teach him how to stand up on his board.
Every night there are parties going on. My favorite night took place at an outdoor club right on the water where a reggae band from Guyana was performing. I had met the guys earlier and I did not even realize they were going to be performing there that night.
After a few days in Montanita we decided to head back to Guyaquil for the weekend before flying out to the Galapagos. It was hard to leave this place....
The best shakes in the world
